Win MiniDove Bars (First 10 commenters win!)

by Ice Cream Maker Reviews on July 12, 2010

Last month, DOVEBAR® Ice Cream Miniatures launched the “My Mini Moments” contest, asking people to submit their ideal mini moment. They selected 10 finalists vying for a chance to win the ultimate mini moment – a mini-getaway to Napa Valley, spa services for a year, or a mini home makeover, and now they’re looking for votes to see who wins! Now through TOMORROW July 13, you have the chance to read all 10 entries at www.doveicecream.com/myminimoment and vote for who you think is most deserving of a much-needed moment of escape.

Go vote, and then leave a comment back here with who you voted for or share your own mini momentThe first 10 commenters will win a coupon for a free box of Dove miniatures.

Here are the finalists for the Dove Mini Moment contest (that you can vote for):

  • Lauren Levy (New York City) – Running, in the zone, with just “me, myself and I…”
  • Mike Vos (Buckley, WA) – Finding secret notes from his daughter…
  • Borden McGahee (Columbus, GA) – Spending a day in their private railroad car that’s currently under renovation, getting ready to travel the country behind Amtrak and relive the heyday of the railroads…
  • Kim Morris (Meriden, CT) – Going to her sewing room and letting the fabric and her imagination take her away…using colors and shapes to celebrate milestones and brighten other people’s days…
  • Ankur Jain (Olathe, KS) – escaping to the local nature center to appreciate and respect nature…
  • Seph Anderson (Oxford, MS) – getting home at night and on the weekends to spend time with his daughter and Jack Russell Terrier…
  • Lisa Roberts (Lexington, KY) – escaping to my kids playground for a half hour each day to read a book and enjoy some Dove Miniatures and enjoy some quiet time while the kids are asleep…
  • Megan Capone (Dracut, MA) – escaping to a book store to roam the stacks, explore every nook and cranny, and sit down with a mocha and a stack of books and magazines to explore…
  • Eric Freeman (Springfield, MS) – escaping to the neighborhood pond to fly fish before dusk…
  • Beth Sheets (Las Vegas, NV) – a bubble bath, a good book, and some Dove Miniatures….

Don’t forget to leave a comment here to be entered to win!

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Ice Cream Maker Reviews

by Ice Cream Maker Reviews on May 13, 2010

Ice Cream Maker Reviews

Lately I have been reading a bunch of ice cream maker reviews.  Why, because I love ice cream so much that it’s fun to stay on top of the best ice cream technology out there.

When I first starting making ice cream I read reviews of ice cream machines and bought this machine: the Cuisinart Ice 30bc. It was a good machine and I can’t complain too much about it — especially given the price.  It worked well.  But, the down side of the machine was that you had to pre freeze the ice cream canister.  This was a problem.  Another unfortunate thing about this machine was that because of the pre freezing of the canister you couldn’t make back to back batches.  (Unless you bought a second canister.)

Then for a wedding present we got this maker.  We read all the ice cream maker reviews and registered for this one because it is a fully automatic (no pre freezing required) ice cream and gelato maker.  Honestly, I couldn’t be happier.  The Lello gelato maker junior doesn’t require pre freezing and you can make back to back batches.

Another ice cream maker that gets rave reviews is the Cuisinart ice cream maker — like this one here.  It is similar to the Lello in that there is no pre freezing of the canister.  It gets high marks for it’s looks too as it’s a stainless steel ice cream maker.

Perhaps someday I’ll upgrade to this ice cream maker.  It’s practically a professional ice cream maker and the reviews I’ve read of it say that they use it in many pastry schools.

Lastly, I thought I’d comment on some of the complaints that are frequent in ice cream maker reviews.

It seems to me that the ice cream maker reviews have several things in common.  People complain about the noise.  Unfortunately, there’s not much that can be done about this.  My gut tells me that if you walk in to an ice cream making factory it’s going to be pretty noisy.

Another frequent problem cited in the reviews of ice cream makers is that it takes “too long” for the ice cream to freeze.  No matter what type of frozen dessert you’re making — whether it is ice cream or sorbet or frozen yogurt all ice cream maker recipes tell you to pre-chill the ice cream soup.  This allows it to freeze much faster.  So, as long as you pre chill it shouldn’t take to long to freeze.

I hope these ice cream maker reviews help you in choosing an awesome ice cream machine.

Again, if you’re looking for a cheap ice cream maker – my recommendation would be this one.  This ice cream machine gets top marks for ease of use.  Just remember that you’ll have to think ahead and put the canister in the freezer.

If you’re looking for a no pre freezing required ice cream maker (like a professional ice cream maker) check out this one or this one.  (I use the later and love it.)

If if you can afford to splurge, this one is beautiful. The ice cream maker reviewers say it works wonders.  Just because it’s a gelato maker — remember that you can use it for sorbet, frozen yogurt, and ice cream too.

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Helado in Buenos Aires, Argentina

by Ice Cream Maker Reviews on October 12, 2008

All the guidebooks touted Argentine ice cream as being the finest in the world. So, for the past few months while planning our trip to Argentina I’ve been anxiously awaiting the chance to try this deliciousness. Well, I’ve been in Buenos Aires for one week and sampled 5 different ice cream flavors at 2 ice cream shops and so far I’m a little disappointed.

I’ve had Argentine ice cream before, but in the U.S. Specifically, countless times at Dolcezza in Georgetown, Washington DC. At Dolcezza the ice cream was delicious. The flavors rich and fresh and the ice cream creamy. So, I expected it to be even better than this in Argentina itself.

Both the places I have tried ice cream in Argentina so far have been good, but not great. The helado consistency is bizarre. It’s creamy and icy at the same time. The taste is a little icy but the consistency on the spoon is creamy. Elastically is probably the best way to describe it. When I try to take a bite with the little gelato spoons the ice cream doesn’t break free but instead stretches out — much like cheese on a pizza. This in and of itself makes ice cream a little frustrating.

The flavors are good, but I haven’t had any that I would highly recommend. I’ll likely post some specific reviews in the near future.

One of the biggest disappointments is the price. Almost everything in Argentina is far cheaper than you would find in the States. You can get an amazing steak for $7-10 US dollars. An entire pizza (quite popular with the Italian influence here) is $4-7 US dollars. An empanadas — small cheese and meat filled pastries, 3-4 would equal an entire meal — are $1 each. So image my surprise when ice cream is the the same price, if not more than what you would pay in the US. One cone/cup is about $4 US dollars!

Now, I’m not exactly complaining. The ice cream could be terrible. Or worse yet could be non-existent. I guess I just had my hopes up.

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Free Ice Cream Winners

by Ice Cream Maker Reviews on July 29, 2008

The following lucky 10 commenters have won coupons for PhillySwirl Cupcakes as part of my National Ice Cream Month giveaway:

  • 11- jade
  • 5- ms jackie
  • 10- lessley
  • 4- s. phil
  • 12- izabela
  • 16- caroline
  • 3- charles
  • 8- Jeaneaen
  • 15- Arlene Descargar
  • 6- casie m

And the grand prize winner (who actually gets the Ice Cream cupcakes shipped to her home) is commenter #9: Rebecca!

Congratulations everyone! And thaks to PhillysSwirl for their generosity.

Winners should have received an email from me by now asking for the address to ship to; if not please contact me.

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Win Free Ice Cream through July 28th

by Ice Cream Maker Reviews on July 14, 2008

In celebration of National Ice Cream Month in the United States (every July); PhillySwirl is sponsoring an A Daily Scoop Ice Cream Contest.

The grand-prize winner will get a box of PhillySwirl ice cream cupcakes shipped right to his/her door. And 10 runner ups will get a coupon for a free-box of cupcakes.

How do you win?

  1. Leave a comment below with your favorite ice cream flavor
  2. Make sure you include your email address in the comment form (will not be shown) so that I can contact the winners
  3. On July 29th I’ll use a random number generator to choose 1 grand-prize winners and 10 runner-ups

Here are the 2 simple rules:

  1. One entry per person
  2. Must live in the US (due to shipping restrictions)

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PhillySwirl Ice Cream Cupcakes Review

by Ice Cream Maker Reviews on July 13, 2008

The kind folks at PhillySwirl sent me a box of Ice Cream Cupcakes to review.

Bite into a PhillySwirl Ice Cream Cupcake and it’s like a birthday cake and scoop of ice cream in each and every bite. At least that’s the way the PhillySwirl Ice Cream Cupcakes taste to me. They are simple- either chocolate or white cake topped with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream with sprinkles. And they are a tasty little treat.

I tried both the chocolate and white cake cupcakes. The chocolate is a rich almost devil’s food type cake; but it’s a little dense. The white cake is a much fluffier texture.

The ice cream in the cupcakes is pretty average and tastes like New York Vanilla. The whipped cream tastes like coolwhip.

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But, the most ingenious part about these Ice Cream Cupcakes is the layer of chocolate fudge that separates the bottom layer of cake from the upper layer of ice cream. Not only does it taste delicious it also prevents the ice cream from getting into the cake layer and making it mushy!

I’ve only had an ice cream cupcake one other time in my life, and that was at Maggie Moo’s where the cupcakes were a little too sweet. PhillySwirl’s were better. If you’re specifically looking for an Ice Cream Cupcake for a birthday party, etc I would recommend these.

Tomorrow, watch for a contest where you can win a box of PhillySwirls shipped right to your door!

  • Flavor: 4
  • Flavor Intensity: 3
  • Texture; 4
  • Originality: 5
  • Overall: 4

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31 Cent Scoop Night April 30th at Baskin Robbins

by Ice Cream Maker Reviews on April 29, 2008

Tomorrow, April 30, 2008 is 31 cent scoop night at Baskin Robbins.  Find your local Baskin Robbins ice cream store here.

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Free Cone Day at Ben and Jerry’s Today April 29, 2008

by Ice Cream Maker Reviews on April 29, 2008

Just a reminder for everyone that today is Free Cone Day at Ben and Jerry’s! This means waiting in a short line for a delicious ice cream cone.  Locate your local scoop shop store here.

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Potbelly Chocolate Malt Review

by Ice Cream Maker Reviews on November 13, 2007

Recently I have become semi-addicted to Potbelly Chocolate Malts.  (Is it possible to become semi-addicted?  That’s beside the point…).  Potbelly chocolate malts are just the right thickness and have just the right amount of malt powder.  There’s something about the taste of malt powder where you can easily have too little or too much; and the Potbelly malt lands right in between.
The thickness of the malt is also excellent.  It takes some effort to suck it up through a straw, but not too much effort.  Again, they’ve achieved that critical balance.
Oh, and who can forget the cookies?  Two minature shortbread cookies on the straw, mmm tasty.
My only complaint is the size.  It’s a smaller size cup, but it’s still too much.  After finishing an entire malt I feel like I’ve eaten way too much.  I need about three-quarters of the current size.  That would be the right amount.  I realize I could throw it away after I’ve eaten 3/4; but wouldn’t that be a waste??

  • Flavor: 5
  • Texture: 4
  • Originality: 2
  • Overall: 4
  • Cost: $2.86 at Potbelly

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Amazon Valley Chocolate by Haagen Dazs Ice Cream Review

May 24, 2007

Well, I finally found it: Outstanding plain chocolate ice cream. Haagen Dazs’ new “reserve” line has produced at least one amazing flavor: Amazon Valley Chocolate. This ice cream is very very chocolatey. (It’s more of a dark chocolate than a milk chocolate.) It’s smooth and it’s rich. It’s so rich [...]

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Ice Cream at Marche, Chicago, IL

May 20, 2007

I was in Chicago a few weeks ago visiting my grandparents, and we went to a wonderful French restaurant, Marche, for dinner one night. Several people got some sort of ice cream with or for their dessert and I tasted them all. My favorites were the chocolate-peanut butter and the mint chocolate chip. [...]

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Haagen Dazs Free Scoop Day (of new flavors)/ New Flavor Day

May 14, 2007

Haagen Dazs is having a free scoop day tomorrow, May 15 of two of their new flavors.  Find a shop near you. Unfortunately, there’s not one close to me so I won’t be making it out.

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Top 5 Ice Cream Flavors

May 8, 2007

Recently I’ve been asked by a number of people what my favorite ice cream is. I can never seem to list an absolute favorite, but here are my 5 favorite ice creams.

Ben and Jerry’s Cherry Garcia. I can’t think of an ice cream that I enjoy more than Cherry Garcia. There’s just something [...]

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31 Cent Scoop Day at Baskin Robbins on May 2

April 19, 2007

I hope that everyone enjoyed their free ice cream cone at Ben and Jerry’s Free Cone Day.
Following in their footsteps, Baskin Robbins is having a 31 cent scoop night on May 2, 2007. It’s in honor of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. Mark your calendars!

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